Listening - The Evolution of Sound

Listen to the audio and complete the activities below.

Click here to read the Audio Script

Josh: Did you know that some actors lost their jobs when sound arrived in cinema?

Sarah: Really? Why? I thought sound was a great invention.

Josh: It was, but some silent stars had very strange voices! They looked perfect, but they sounded terrible on record.

Sarah: That’s sad. So, the industry changed completely in 1927?

Josh: Yes, with the movie The Jazz Singer. Suddenly, everyone wanted dialogue, not just pantomime.

Sarah: I still prefer the piano music from the old days. It was more romantic.

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1: Fill in the Blanks

Listen to the conversation and type the missing words.

1. Some actors their jobs because of their voices.

2. Sound was a great , but it was difficult for some stars.

3. The movie industry changed in the year .

4. The first famous "talkie" was titled The Singer.

5. Sarah thinks the old piano music was more .

Activity 2: Who said what?

Drag the quotes and drop them into the correct person's box. (Or tap a quote, then tap the box).

"Did you know that some actors lost their jobs?"

"I thought sound was a great invention."

"They sounded terrible on record."

"The industry changed completely in 1927?"

"I still prefer the piano music."

Josh

Sarah

Activity 3: True or False

Select True or False for the statements below.

1. All silent movie actors were successful in sound movies.

True False

2. The transition to sound happened in the late 1920s.

True False

3. The Jazz Singer was a silent movie.

True False

4. Some actors' voices did not match their appearance.

True False

5. Sarah hates modern cinema.

True False

Activity 4: Summary Selection

Which sentence best describes the conversation?

a) Two friends discuss the technical problems of modern microphones. b) Two friends talk about how the arrival of sound changed the movie industry. c) Two friends argue about which actor is the most handsome.